Income Taxes Net deferred tax assets (liabilities) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Differences in capitalization and depreciation and amortization of reacquired franchises and equipment	$ 4,829	$ 4,800
Differences in acquisition financing costs	1,834	1,800
Employee compensation	14,378	15,000
Deferred gain on sale of assets	6,453	6,300
Book/tax difference in revenue recognition	39,613us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsDeferredIncome	29,800us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsDeferredIncome
Other	35,865us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther	35,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther
Deferred tax assets	102,972us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross	92,700us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross
Valuation allowance	(1,143)	(1,100)
Total deferred tax assets after valuation allowance	101,829us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet	91,600us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet
Differences between financial and tax accounting in the recognition of franchise and equipment sales	(47,973)	(51,200)
Differences in capitalization and depreciation (1)	(294,600)	(301,100)
Differences in acquisition financing costs	0	(7,100)
Book/tax difference in revenue recognition	(15,629)	(19,500)
Differences between book and tax basis of property and equipment	(11,361)	(10,100)
Other	(20,517)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther	(20,325)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther
Deferred tax liabilities	(390,080)us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxLiabilities	(409,325)us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxLiabilities
Net deferred tax liabilities	(288,251)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities	(317,725)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities
Net deferred tax asset—current	31,242us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGrossCurrent	24,200us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGrossCurrent
Valuation allowance—current	(382)	(347)
Net deferred tax asset—current	30,860	23,853
Deferred tax liability—non-current	(318,352)	(340,800)
Net deferred tax liability—non-current	(759)	(778)
Net deferred tax liability—non-current	$ (319,111)	$ (341,578)

Deferred Tax Assets, Acquisition Financing Costs

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Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Gain on Sale of Assets

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Deferred Tax Assets, Financial and Tax Accounting in the Recognition of Franchise and Equipment Sales

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Deferred Tax Liabilities, Differences in Capitalization and Depreciation

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Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences.

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Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards expected to be realized or consumed within one year or operating cycle, if longer.

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Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences from property, plant, and equipment.

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